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Wednesday, February 17, 2010Free agency look: kickers and tight ends
As I do every offseason, I’ll take a look over the next few weeks at the Steelers’ potential free agents and possible veteran replacements or upgrades.

Keep in mind that the Steelers have never been major players on the free agent market. So no matter how much you want them to go out and sign say, Terrell Owens, it’s not going to happen.

The Steelers have made re-signing Reed one of their offseason priorities and should be able to get something done.

Despite his legal problems – at some point, Reed is going to have to grow up – he’s been one of the more reliable kickers in the NFL. Yes, he missed a couple of kicks in Chicago this season, but he’s made a lot more of those kind of kicks that he’s missed during his career. And as we saw throughout this season’s playoffs, that’s a rare commodity.

Sepulveda is heading into his restricted free agent season, while Spaeth will get a second season of restricted free agency when no deal is reached on a collective bargaining agreement before the March 4 deadline.

The Steelers will make tender offers for both.

Sepulveda has struggled somewhat in cold weather, but as he gets the opportunity to do more of it, he should get better. In addition, he was coming off knee surgery on his plant leg in 2009 and should be considerably stronger in 2010.

Spaeth doesn’t do any one thing particularly well, but he’s a big target and has proven to be a reliable pass catcher when filling in for Heath Miller. He’s too tall to ever be a great blocker - it’s just too easy to get up underneath him – but the Steelers will likely use David Johnson more as their blocking tight end in 2010.

So what happens if talks with Reed break down?

There are a number of solid kickers who could be on the free agent market March 4.

Leading that group is Cincinnati’s Shayne Graham. I know what you’re thinking, Graham missed some big kicks for the Bengals in the playoffs this season.

But he’s also one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history and has a history of kicking at Heinz Field and other cold weather cities. There are conflicting reports about whether the Bengals will make an effort to re-sign him, but if they don’t, he would be a good replacement for Reed.

Arizona’s Neil Rackers will also be an unrestricted free agent and it wouldn’t be a stretch to see the Cardinals and Steelers basically trade kickers. Remember, former Steelers special teams coach Kevin Spencer is now with the Cardinals and he and Reed had a strong relationship.

Rackers had some groin injury problems in 2009, but has been a very productive kicker for the Cardinals. He’s also averaged nearly one touchback per game for his career.

Jay Feely has kicked for four NFL teams, most recently the Jets, for who he has made 54 of 64 field goals in the past two seasons. In addition, he’s also had 17 touchbacks in the past two seasons.

Like Graham, Feely missed a couple of field goal attempts in the Jets’ final playoff game, but one was over 50 yards and his career percentage of 81.6 percent is very good.

Spaeth doesn’t do any one thing particularly well, but he’s a big target and has proven to be a reliable pass catcher when filling in for Heath Miller. He’s too tall to ever be a greatblocker - it’s just too easy to get up underneath him

guess that explains why starks sucks ...
dumbest theory ever considering probably 3/4 of the linemen in the league are 6-5 to 6-7 ...

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I say keep Reed only if he will work with the Steelers on salary. If he is too greedy, BYE BYE !!!! We need the money to resign Woodley and others that will be coming up this year to the end of their contracts. I would much rather keep Woodley than Reed any day of the week. If Reed gets 3 million plus, we might as well get used to the idea that the Steelers are going to be a mediocre team over the next few years once we lose the stars of the team. Of course the salary cap will be gone so who knows how that affects things.